1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk drive system for accessing a disc-shaped storage medium such as an optical disk and, more particularly, to a disk drive system enabling access not only to a disk-shaped storage medium but also to a small-sized storage medium such as smart media.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a wide variety of devices have been presented using so-called smart media (SSFDC: solid state floppy disk card) as recording media.
The smart media are light-weight (2 g) and thin small-sized (length: 45 mm, width: 37 mm, height: 0.76 mm) flash memory cards which have a simple structure and are easy to carry to allow the use as a removable storage medium for a portable information terminal such as a digital camera.
In addition, the smart media are suitable for helping making these applied products smaller and have excellent portability allowing themselves put between leaves of a pocket notebook or a pass-case to carry.
Data writing and reading of smart media is conducted by connecting an access device for smart media not only to a digital electronic still camera and a portable information terminal but also to a personal computer etc. or by means of an adapter through a slot of a PC card.
Connecting an access device for external attachment to a personal computer, however, needs a space for the device and a connection code, as well as costing labor for the connection. In addition, it has such a shortcoming as larger electric power consumption than that consumed for an internally provided device.
Moreover, internally providing an access device for smart media has such a drawback as that the size and cost of a main body of a personal computer are increased because an information apparatus such as a personal computer has a limited installation space for internally mounting a device. Also as to a slot for a PC card, since it is scarcely mounted on standard desk-top personal computers for the same reason, use of a PC card requires an access device for the PC card to be added.
Technique directed to solving these conventional problems is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 160055. Making use of the fact that in many desk-top personal computers, an FDD drive is installed using an installation space (bay) for a peripheral equipment provided at the front of the main body, the art recited in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 160055 proposes a composite FDD device in which a drive for smart media is internally provided in an FDD drive and an insertion slot of a floppy disk and an insertion slot of smart media are provided together on the upper and lower sides.
As described in the foregoing, conventional techniques have the following problems.
Although a dedicated device for accessing smart media is conventionally installed by external attachment to a personal computer or provision within the same, the installation occupies a space for putting the personal computer or a free space within the main body of the personal computer because the dedicated device should be provided together with other disk drive devices. In a case where a dedicated device for accessing a smart media is installed later, it will be difficult to ensure an installation space in an information apparatus such as a personal computer in many cases.
On the other hand, according to the related art disclosed in the above-described Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 160055, although a drive for smart media is contained in an FDD drive, the FDD drive has a dedicated specification different from that of an ordinary FDD drive. Therefore, it is impossible to replace the FDD drive with an ordinary FDD drive and install the same with ease. Moreover, access is made by inserting smart media one by one to deteriorate efficiency.